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New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 9795, 28 December 1892, Page 2

On our fourth pace will be found AngloColonial Notes and Volunteer items.

The Ah Ching enquiry will be re-opened this morning, when severalfresh witnesses will be examined.

The Registrar-General sends us the ‘Results of the census of the Colony of New Zealand, 1 taken on the Bth April, 1891. The local agents for the Shaw, Savill and Albion Co. have bean advised that the lonic arrived at Plymouth on Thursday last with her cargo of frozen meat in good condition.

Those of our readers who have friends and relations in the OM Country should not miss the opportunity offered of sending Home, by the San Francisco mail, a copy of the Christmas number of the New Zealand Mail, Copies with wrapper, ready for posting, may be had at the publishing office, or outside the General Post Office,

The hospital nurses treated the inmates of the Home for the Aged and Needy to a carol servi e on Christmas eve. and on Christmas morning Mr F. H. Fraser introduced-a choir of 23 young ladies and gentlemen, who furnUhed an appropriate concert. The Christmas dinner was quite a festival, thanks to the arrangements which had been made under the personal direction of Mr Willeafcon, chairman of theßoard of Trustees.

The well-known Native agent, Jas, Mackay, has been received into the Auckland Hospital suffering from eerious and indescribable injuries inflicted upon himself on Sunday evening, when he dangerously wounded himself with a piece of wire. The police were informed of the occurrence, but Mackay, who has been drinking heavily, struggled violently and was only removed by force. He now lies in a critical condition at the hospital. The United Friendly Societies of Wellington will hold a grand demonstration in aid of the Wellington Hospital, in the Basin Reserve on Anniversary Day, including an art union (by permisHion of the Colonial Secretary) with prizes value Ll5O, and programme of sports. The Grand Handicap is worth L 43 ; Hurdles, 1.8; Ladies’ Bracelet (amateurs), L 5 5s ; Mile, Ll2 ; Bicycle Race, LG 6s. Particulars will be found in the advertisement in another column.

Yesterday was observed as a close holiday in city and suburbs, all the public offices and business establishments being closed, and an air of Sabbatical repose investing the whole scene. The only things to disturb the illusion that it was Sunday were the appearance of a few open shops, a languid work-a-day look about the wharves, and the progress of the cricket match at the Basin Reserve, There were no holiday fixtures to attract crowds of pleasure-seekers to any particular spot, and those who did go out of town to make holiday for the most part chose to picnic, or to go driving or yachting. Mr H. W. Robinson, R.M., wai occupied for some hours yesterday in hearing the remanded charge of assault brought against the two young men, Bartholomew Mahoney and Elijah Maslera, of assaulting Annie Brooking and a one-armed man named Geo. Knapp. Mahoney was fined 40s, with 11s costs, or in the alternative four days’ imprisonment, for assaulting Brooking, the charge of assaulting Knapp being dismissed. For assaulting Knapp, Maslem was discharged, and was fined 60s, with 7s costs, or seven days’ hard labour in default, for assaulting Brooking. The accused were both defended by Mr Coates. A fire broke out shortly before 12 o’clock last night in a small tenement in Ebor street, off Tory street, owned by Mrs Edwards* and occupied by Mr John Johnson, who works at the Government Printing J dflee. The fire quickly spread tb tho adjoining tenement, which also belonged. to Mrs Edwards, and was occupied by Mr Wm. Adams. The brigade quickly succeeded in putting cut the flames, but not beforo the first house had been gutted and ihe second considerably damaged. Mr Johnson’s furniture was insured for LIOO in the Norwich Union Office; that of Mr Adams was not insured, but almost all of it was removed without damage. We understand the property was insured, but for what amount is not known.

Referring to an assertion made by a Wellington evening piint, that the Government had flooded the Wairarapa with ‘sundowners * from the South Island, the Wairarapa Star says : Now everybody knows that this is a deliberate misrepresentation of facts. There is au abundance of work in the Wairarapa for those who want it. Shearing and grass-seeding, road construction and rabbiting are ail in full swing. Harvesting operations will soon commence, and this in itself will absorb a large number of those who have finished shearing. That there are * sundowners ’ we will admit. There always have been, and always will be. But to blame the Governmeni for breeding this undesirable class is grossly unfair. Work is now more plentiful than it has been for years, and opportunity is afforded for everyone to gain for himself an honest living. At a meeting of the Timaru Harbour Board last week samples of various weeds of more or less noxious character were shown to members. They had been gathered on sand ballast dumped on to the beach, chiefly on railway property. The secretary stated that there were about §0 new plants introduced in this manner) and most of them appeared to have the character of troublesome weeds. Mr Gideon Rutherford, a gentleman well acquainted with Australian weeds, had seen some of them, and recognised one as the true Cape weed, a much worse weed than the one commonly know as Cape weed in this Colony, and worse than the Bithurst burr. Another plant discovered since Mr Rutherford’s visit bears a burry seed calculated to be a nuisance in a pastoral country. The Board authorised the Standing Committee to take steps to eradicate the weed* and to seek the co-operation of the Minister for Agriculture and the Railway Commissioners in preventing the landing of any more sand ballast.

On Ch istraaa Day Mr Samuel Dyer, a sutfacernan in the employ of the Maoawatu Railway Company, found a bottle op thebeach between the Otaki and Waikanae rivers. The bottle contained a printed form, with the following on one side, * Official Return, the Government Astronomer, Observatory, Sydney.' On the other side are printed instructions stating inter alia, * This is intended to be thrown overboard at sea so that when found it will serve to indicate the direction of the ocean currents through which it has passed/ Then come the following details filled in with pencil :—Ship’s name, Sophocles ; date, noon, 9ch February, 1892 ; latitude, 42deg, 40 S ; longitude, 162-leg, 20 B j state of wind, southerly gale 4 days; state of sea, high ; ship going from, Sydney ; goirg to, London; signature, A Smith, muster.’ Mr Dyer will, we understand, comply with the wish printed on the p >per that the latter may be forwarded to the Government Astronomer, Sydney, The peper was in excellent condition, the bottle being air-tight and partly filled with sand. ‘Robbery Under Arms’has evidently ‘caught on’ with the public. There was a capital attendance at the Opera House last night, stalls, family circle and pit being crowded, while the dress circle was fairly patronised. The action of the piece was smooth and all the strong situations and comical episodes were duly appreciated by the audience, who were generous with their applause and in a mood to respond heartily to all the appeals to their risible faculty. Miss Lly Dampier made a very effective display of her skill as an eqnestrifnne in the racecourse scene at the end of the second act and, in stage parlance, * brought down the house/ We understand that she received her finishing lessons in riding from the Texan cowboys who were members of the Wid West Show that performed at the Alexandra Theatre, Melbourne, several years ago under engagement to her father, and that at the same time she bad lessons in shooting from Dr Carver, champion shot of the world. 1 Robbery Under Arms ’ will be again presented this evening. A Masterton paper recently published a violent article 'on the new appointments to the Commission of the* Peace, in the course of which the remark was made that 1 the dirtiest beggar in the Colony, the biggest liar in the Colony, and the biggest fool in the place ’ are included in the lut, the writer further stating that the Government have ‘ Wilfully, knowingly and deliberately lowered the judicial beer of this realm/ Upon tho Masterton diatribe tha Oamaru Mail comments very caustically as follows :—As regards the opinions expressed, our contemporary may be a practical expert in defining degrees of dirt, falsehood and foolishness, but the absurdity of bringing wholesale charges of- this nature anonymously against a body of respectable men is apparent to anybody, and their substantiation would require an individual acquaintanceship with each of the 1778 new Justices, as well as with every other man in the Colony. The writer of the article in question should have no difficulty in putting his hand upon a bigger fool in the Wairarapa district than any of the new J.P/s. The first stages in the matches for champion bowls and Mr Crombie’s leaders’ prize by members of tha Wellington Bowling Club are drawing to a close, and the results so far have produced several surprises. We append the results already recorded :— Champion Bowls (Ist draw-winners of twe games out of three to stand in for the second draw)—J. Lockie, with 13, 2t, and 21 beats Geo. Didsbury, with 21. 8, and IS; F. W. Haybifctle, with 21 beats T. Whitehouse, with 15; A. Campbell, with ?1 beats D, Jones, with 15; VV. Gray, with 21 and 21 beats A. Sample, with 9 and 16; Dr Macgregor has yet to meet A. Lawson, and O. M. Orombie to meet P. Drummond. Byes are given in the first round to w. G. Young, F. Grady, J. Young, T, Ballinger, J. Blundell, A. McKee, T. J. W, Gale, R. Mandealey, L. Blundell and Dr Ewart. For Mr Crombie’s leaders’ prize C. W. Willeston, 21, beats W. C. Stephens, 10; A. Sample, 21, beats A. Campbell, 15; A. Lawson, 21, beats W/Miller, 8; J. Lockie, 21, beats W.G. Tustin, 17; L. Blundell, 21, beats A. McKee, 20. W. Alien has yet to meet T. Whitehonse, and A. H. Truebridge to meet W. Gray. Byes on the first draw are allowed to G. Didsbury, P. Drummond, W. G. Young. T. Ballinger, F. W. llaybittle. J. Brown, J. Blundell and F. Gray. The matches for the president’s prize (for which about 23 competitors have entered), and for the junior bowls (for which 11 competitors have entered), ore progressing more slowly than the other two matches. Entries are receivable up till Saturday next for the chamEion rink tournament. - Already three teams ave entered) and three others are expected to enter.

The Tongariro, from London via Plymouth, Teneriffe, Capetown and Hobart, is expected here this afternoon.

Speaking at a distribution of prizes at the Halswell School last week, the Hon Mr Rolleaton made an eloquent plea for higher and technical education

The hard work of last session had a bad effect upon Mr Scobie Mackenzie, who, according to an exchange, has been laid up at his home on the Peninsula ever since.

The Oamaru Mril considers that the provisions with regard to the taxation of absentees are not comprehensive enough, and that is one of the defects which will have to be cured next session.

We are requested to state that Mr F. J. Oakes conducted the musical portion of the services at St Mary’s of the Angels pn Christmas Day. The whole of the music is to be repeated on Sunday next. A purse containing some silver, a key and some papers was found in the Theatre Royal dress circle last nighV The owner can have the same by applying at this office, and giving a proper description of it, Walter Stubbing, a well known teacher of music, committed suicide at Auckland on Christmas Day by taking a dose of prussic acid. In a letter addressed to a friend, deceased said he was tired of life.

The hearing of the charge against the fireman Mclntosh, of stealing a portmanteau from the Queen's Hotel, was yesterday adjourned for a week, bail being fixed at a personal bond of L3O, and two sureties of Ll 5 each.

Two inebriates came before Mr Robinson, It.M , yesterday morning. One, a first offender, was discharged with a caution, and an elderly lady namgd Margaret Shearer, who had been previously convicted, was fined ss, with the alternative of 24 hours' imprisonment. The Dev Charles Spurgeon, son of the late C. H. Spurgeon, and brother of Thomas Spurgeon, has been ordered by Sir Andrew Clark to take a sea trip for the benefit of his health, and with his brother-in-law, Mr Alex. Knight, of Auckland, is a passenger on the P. and 0. steamer Australia, to Melbourne and Sydney.

We beg to acknowledge receipt of a copy of a song entitled ‘ Tho Merry Singer,’ written.and composed by Henri Le verne and issued with the compliments of the Singer Manufacturing Company of New York, who hold the copyright. The music ia set in the key of Eilat and forms a vivacious little air in 2 4 time, with an attractive valse refrain. We have received the Christmas number of the Otago Witness, and must certainly compliment the editor, Mr William Fenwick, upon the admirable collection of original colonial fiction which he has given to the public. _ The Witness’ Christmas number K in our opinion, most decidedly the best compiled and most readable of all the special numbers issued by the colonial weeklies at this season of the year.

SaUrday’s New Zealand Graphic contains a number of excellent photos, including several views of lake, scenery from drawincs by Mr C. Blomfield, Mr R, Thompson, and Mrs Thompson, Mr Henry Wright (Wellington, with illustrated article on the Little Barrier Island), Wanganui River ; also some really clever cartoons, one representing Santa Claus about to fill young New Zealand’s stocking.

The stirring drama * My Jack ’ again drew a large house at the Theatre Royal last night. Mr Chas. Holloway in the premierrole of Jack Meredith was very successful, being repeatedly called before the curtain by the cheers of the spectators. Miss Constance Deorwyn made a very attractive Dorothy Prescott, and the other characters were well represented. The piece was well mounted, and went iu good style throughout. *My Jack' will be repeated this evening.

The Hospital patients awoke on Christinas morning to find that they were all the recipients of presents, which had been placed on or about their beds in such a position as to readily catch the eye. Baring the day they were also treated to the usual Christmas cheer. On Boxing Night a concert was held, songs being contributed by Nurses Moorhouse, Boraeb, Nelmea, Crease, Pattigan, and Messrs J. Prouse and R. B. Williams, while Nurses Bagge and Crease played a pianoforte duet. The sitting of the Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday morning was delayed for over an hour and a half through the absence of Mr Eobicson. R.M., at an inquest. On eventually taking his seat His Worship apologised for the delay, adding that he had been unable to inform the police that he would bo absent ashedould not get telephonic communication with the Court. Sergeant-Major Ramsay explained that the had not resulted fatally to anyone, and business then proceeded. The Lyttelton Times says :—tfc is stated on good authority that alterations in the Volunteer system will shortly be carried into effect. It is rumoured that a battalion will be formed simi'ar to the former First Canterbury Battalion, and that the men will he armed with Martini-Henri rifles, the capitation allowance being L2 10s for every man who is efficient, and XOs extra for every man who attends the Easter encampment. The'battery will bo increased bo six guns, and 100 rounds of ammunition will be served out at half price. It is understood that these regulations will take effect shortly. The Resident Magistrate at Invercargill takes a lenient view (says the Tuajreka Times) of one of the moat prevalent crimes in the country—wife desertion. A man named Stone, after 20 years of matrimony, went off to Nelson with a young woman, shaved his whiskers and changed his name to Plum, to conceal bis identity. On being discovered, he made his wife the munificent offer of 12s 6d a week/ which" she refused, and sued him for maintenance. The magistrate, finding that she bad L 6 or L 7 in her possession, said that she was not destitute, and dismissed the case, remarking that ha had no power to make married people live together.

Alpine climbing is gradually increasing in popularity in the South Island. A Christchurch paper says ; —On Monday last a small party, consisting of Mr and Mrs Fairbanks and Mr T. 0. Fyfe, with J. Adamson as guide, left the Hermitage, Mount Cook, at 9.30 a.m., and travelled up the Tasman glacier to the Ball hutt, reaching this camp at 4 p.m. Starting at 4.30 next morning the party crossed over the Mount Cook range, reaching the summit of the Ball pass, 7540 feet, at noon. Tho climb was pretty hard work, the snow being soft. The descent to the Hooker glacier was made in two hours and a half, and the Hermitage was reached at 6,45. Mrs Fairbanks has the honour of being the first lady to cross over the -Ball pass. In the course of the slander action recently heard at the Dunedin Supreme Court it transpired that on one occasion the wardsman at the Arrow Hospital, in the absence of the doctor, undertook (he setting of a fractured leg. The wardsman, an old sailor, admitted that he bad never tried to set a leg before, but that after waiting soma hours he tackled it, and, as It proved, set it properly. When the case was closed and the parties were waiting for the verdict, the defendant’s counsel, Mr J. F. M, Fraser, asked the witness referred to how on earth he managed to do what is commonly supposed to demand surgical skill, and he got bis answer with sailor-like promptness. ‘Well, you see,’said the wardsman, *1 gived the patient half a glass of brandy, took half a glass of brandy myself, hud a buck at it, and the job was done/ A writer in an Auckland paper tells the following curious story A lawyer who has, as the sequel will show, been a long time in practice in Auckland, tol£ a curious story the other day. Not long after he commenced practice, a man came into him and said that he was occupying land on an imperfect title, and he wanted to see if it could be made good. The, lawyer looked into the ‘matter, and said, ‘Come back in 35 years, and I will be able to make it right, if you are then in undisturbed occupation, aad we are both in .the land of the living.’ He was surprised the other day when the same roan stepped into his office and remarked, ‘You told me to come back in 35 years about this title. The 35 years are just up/ The necessary steps were taken, and the title was .made good. But it is rather singular that the same man should be able to come back to the same lawyer. .

In social and parochial legislation, the new English Government in undoubtedly waking up. The Gazette, which contains Mr Asquith’s order on the Factory Acts is (says the London Daily Chronicle) also notable for Mr Fowler’s intimation that in future paupers are to be allowed the use of tobacco and snuff. The liberty is to be extended to all paupers who are not able-bodied, and even to them when they are employed—as a good many paupers necessarily are—on specially disagreeable work. The officials are to set apart a room or rooms for smoking, and, of course, it will not be allowed anywhere else. In some bouses aged inmates' already enjoy this small boon, but the effect of Mr Fowler's order will be to level up the herder kind of workhouse to that into which a little gentleness and Indulgence have already been thrown. We hope, therefore, that a good many thousand pipes may be alight in the poor-house between this and Christmas. Mr Robinson, District Coroner, held an inquest at the hospital yesterday morning on the body of Thomas Johnston, who had died the previous day at the hospital from injuries received by falling from the skylight of the Junior Club on the 9th December. The deceased had been at work in putting a skylight into the roof of ths Junior Club, when the support on which he was standing gave way and he fell on bis back on to the staircase, a distance of about, 18ft. When taken to the hospital it was found that his spine was frac* tured, and his left collarbone and two riba were broken. His case, Dr Ewart said, was hopeless from the first, and be died from injury to tha spine. Mr Meyer, contractor in charge of the work at the Junior Club, said deceased, who weighed list, was standing on a pane! which was not intended to support any weight, and another witness said be bad warned deceased not to stand on the panel just before the accident happened. The jury, of which Mr Joseph Williams was foreman, returned a verdict of accidental death. A Melbourne telegram in the Sydney Morning Herald of the 12th inst, says :—‘ Mr F, O. Rowan, well known in business and social circles in Melbourne, Adelaide and Sydney, died this afternoon. He left Sydney on the 2nd inst, in excellent health, bat caught a severe cold ■ on the journey, which resulted in an attack of acute pneumonia. "He was horn In England, and was educated for the army. About 20 years, ago he arrived in New Zealand as a lieutenant In the 43rd Regiment. He afterwards resigned from the army, and joined the naval forces, serving with considerable distinction. He obtained a captaincy. On one occasion his company was almost cat to pieces in an assault on a Maori pa, and he himself wbs shot down. He arrived in Australia about 13 years .ago, and took the position formerly held by Sir Julius Vogel in connection with the Australian Electric Light, Power, and Storage Company as manager, which position he held till two and a half years ago, when the company was bought by tho British Electric Engineering Company. Since then ha has been manager of the new company. He married a daughter of Mr Charles , Ryan, of Upper Macedon, and sister of Dr O. Ryan and of Lady Charles Scott. He leaves a widow and one son. Mr Ryan was comparatively a young man* his age being 47/

A smart shock of earthquake was felt at Christchurch, Hokitika and other places in the South Island on Christmas Day.

A somewhat novel band contest was arranged to take place in the Centennial Hall, Sydney, recently, the competing bands being entirely composed of blind musicians. From a London letter received by the Oratava, dated November Hth, Mr K. S. Smythe learns that M. Paderewski was recovering from his severe illness and hoped to be strong enough start for New York within a fortnight. Giving to all the American engagements having been postponed, the great pianist was unable to fix definitely the date of his Australian recitals.

The English papers announce the death at South Shields on the 7th November, of Mr T, B. Appleby, Mr Appleby was the buffo artiste of the Duni.ing Opera Company, which toured this Colony some years ago. His Rip Van Winkle, in Planquette’a opera, will long be remembered in New Zealand. At the time of his death, Mr Appleby was lessee of the South Shields theatre. His age was 47.

We take the following from the Sydney Morning Herald of the 37th instant j—Mr W. J. Wilson of this city has received from Joh.annesberg. South Africa, the sad news of the death of Mrs George Darrell on the 6th November, at the early age of 25. This actress, who was well-known here under her stage name of Miss Chris Peachey, must have been carried off very suddenly, as a fortnight earlier Mr Darrell h*»d written to say that all the members of his company were In perfect health.

The mortal remains of the late Very Rev Father Augustin Seanzeau, S.M., who died on Saturday last, were consigned to their last resting place in the Catholic Cemetery yesterday ' morning. Solemn Requiem Mass was celebrated in the church of St Mary of the Angels, Boulcott street, which was draped in black for the occasion, by the Very Rev Father Devoy, Vicar • General. The funeral sermon was preached by His Grace, and at the conclusion of the service the funeral cortege was formed. The acolytes came first, followed by the girls of the Te Aro Catholic schools, boys of the Marist Brothers* School, the Hibernian Society with its junior branch, 28 of the Marist Brothers, carriages containing the Archbishop, clergy, and Dr Loatalut de Bachou£, the French Consul, besides several private carriages and many friends of the deceased on foot. The service at the grave was conducted by His Grace the Archbishop, the clergy singing the ‘ Benedictus.’ The half-yearly summoned meeting of Court Sir George Grey, A.0.F., was held last night in the Foresters' Hall, Lambton quay, Chief Ranger Bro W, G. Lightfoot, b presiding. The committee presented their report on the quinquennial valuation, and it was resolved that tho report be printed and circulated amongst the members. The committee have adopted the suggestions of the valuators : —(1) That increased rates of contributions be charged to future members; (2) That a more careful scrutiny be observed in regard to members on sick pay; (3) That the doctors’ attention be drawn to the desirability of passing only sound candidates for admission, and (4) That the appropriation of the surplus be held over until a future valuation. Dr Anson was appointed an additional surgeon. The election of officers for the next six months was then proceeded with, and resulted as follows 0.R., Bro Hoverd; S.C.R., Bro J. Munford; S.W., Bro D. Mcßean ; J.W., Bro J. Robertson ♦ 8.8., Bro Wooloott : J. 8., Bro T. K y ; Minute Secretary, Bro Clark. A vote of thanks, led off with Foresters' fire, was passed to the visiting brethren. The question of the re-appointment of trustees was held over for a month. Several cases of benevolence were dealt with. The cash receipts for the evening amounted to L 67. Tb© following is from the Oamaru mail 1 Great Britain will watch closely next session New Zealand’s able experimental legislation,’ This is what the London Times says, whilst Mr Bruce, the member for Rangitikei, is * adversely criticising the Government policy,’ The London Times is a Conservative paper, and Mr Bruce ia a New Zealand Tory; but the Times .is a dispassionate observer, whose only interest is the financial progress of the Colony which is so largely indebted to the British money lenders, whilst Mr Bruce is a political pedlar, with a hobby or two which he has hunted out of his great grandfather’s breeches pocket. It is curious to learn of the magnanimous and favourable criticisms of the great English Conservative papeis, whilst the Tory papers here are catling against the Government on the ground that they have created a feeling of insecurity in the minds of tho people of Great Britain. But we are told that New Zealand’s legislation is able and that it is experimental. It is, therefore, In the opinion of the Times, clever and original. That ia not what the New Zealand Opposition newspapers call it. They can find no terms in the English language sufficiently harsh and contemptuous to fittingly describe it. Fortunately the operation of the experimental legislation of the Ballancs Government will not be affected in any way by the opinions of anybody. Usual quarterly meeting of Loyal Antipodean Lodge, 1.0.0. F., M.U., to-night, at 8 o'clock, Harcourt and Co. insert advertisement of country properties for sale. Notice is given by.advertisement elsewhere that Tuesday, the 3rd January, will be observed as a special bank holiday. George McKenzie gives notice that he will not be responsible for debts contracted by his wife after-this date.